From the Archives: The CalArts Story

The CalArts Story (posted above) is a short film that was originally presented at the 1964 gala premiere of Mary Poppins. The event doubled as a fundraiser for the then-recently incorporated California Institute of the Arts.

Produced in the style of Disney's live-action shorts of the period, and narrated by actor Sebastian Cabot, the film lays out the vision of CalArts as an integral part of Los Angeles's cultural infrastructure, alongside such institutions as the Music Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Hollywood Bowl.

Although the campus was built in Valencia, and not near the Hollywood Bowl as originally planned, the school has in many ways remained true to Walt Disney's original vision of creating a school for all the performing and visual arts. With the construction of REDCAT in Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall, CalArts now enjoys a prominent presence within the city's revitalized Downtown cultural corridor.

More detailed information about The CalArts Story and the vision for the school can be found on page 5 of the latest issue of CalArts Magazine:

Archives

24700 is CalArts' online space dedicated to sharing news and work of the larger CalArts community from around the world. The blog captures stories of the exploration of new forms and expressions in the arts by our students, faculty, staff and alumni.